It is now some years since the last manned månemission - Apollo 17 - took place. But it does not mean that we can still learn from it.
So says NASA in a press release, to the 5. november has opened a hitherto unopened rock and soil sample from the Moon, which was collected by Apollo 17's crew back in december of 1972. It writes Science.dk, where you can also see a scan of the sample.
And this is the first time in more than 40 years, scientists have had the opportunity to examine the unopened samples from this period.
the Hope is that by analyzing the old samples will be able to make better analyses of the samples to be collected during the upcoming Artemis-moon landing, which according to plan will take place in 2024.
- We can carry out analyses in the day, as we simply did not have the opportunity at the time, says professor Sarah Noble, researcher at NASA's headquarters in Washington in the UNITED states, in the press release, according to Science.dk.
most of the samples from the Apollo program have long since been analyzed, but one chose at the time to retain a part of the samples for future analysis with better technology.
The new technologies, which should make the analysis of jordprøverne more effective, consistent with the developments in the field of, among other things:
Geologist Jack Schmitt, who participated in the Apollo 17 mission, takes part in the new research of the soil samples, as he himself was to collect in 1972. He was the first researcher, who was allowed to step onto the Moon.
According to the plan, researchers open another one of the aged soil samples for January.
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